New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday directed the Odisha Chief Secretary to look into the matter personally and act on health, chronic malnutrition and other allied issues of the rural areas of the state and take appropriate action in the matter and submit a report before the Commission.
The direction of the NHRC came while disposing of a five-year-old petition filed by noted human rights activist and the Supreme Court lawyer, Radhakanta Tripathy.
What is more disheartening is that the lackadaisical attitude of the government authorities to act over the human rights issues and submit reports, Tripathy said.
In his initial petition, Tripathy pointed out that due to lack of medical care and State apathy more than 500 tribal villagers of Bolangir are dying of illness and chronic malnutrition. They are deprived and denied of the basic amenities which violates their basic human rights.
Citing examples of such problems, Tripathy stated that the three-month-old son of Jagannath Deheria, a resident of Gabharasa village in Bolangir, was suffering from a condition wherein his limbs are getting thinner while his head and belly are increasing in size.
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Tripathy also stated that the doctors could not diagnose what the victim's son was suffering from and the said the village lacks basic facilities. There are other people, mostly children who are suffering from chronic ailments and have no medical facilities.
The NHRC issued notice to the collector cum District Magistrate to submit a report in this regard. However, the collector failed to submit the report in time, he said.